Swim teams continue winning ways

   The Raiders swim team put on another great display of skill and power on Jan. 20.
   During this swim meet this past week between the Raiders, Roanoke Catholic, Virginia Episcopal School, and Carlisle School, the Raiders swim team displayed well-rounded scoring once again. Led by the girls, the Raiders won all three contests. During the meet the Raiders won most of the events or placed in the top two. The team is larger than past teams, which would be a reason to why both girls and boys teams have been so successful.
   Maddie Robinson ('16) and Emma Cartledge ('18) both had dominant performances in this meet. The girls swim team won all three swim contest against VES, Roanoke Catholic, and Carlisle. Robinson placed first in both the 200-freestyle and the 100-freestyle with a time of 2:12.35 in the 200 and a time of 59.94 in the 100. The girls finished first among the other three teams and it improved on their outstanding record of 11 wins and three losses. The girls’ team this year has been successful in all of their meets even having a good showing in the All-Timesland swim meet.
   As for the boys, they won two out of the three swim contest against VES, Roanoke Catholic, and Carlisle. Joseph Cartledge ('16) and Andrew Lorens ('19) finished with solid performances. Cartledge placed first in the 100 butterfly and second in the 100 breaststroke, which Cartledge says is his "worst" swimming stroke. Lorens placed first in the 200 individual medley and placed first in the 100 backstroke. Improving on the team’s overall record of 5-8-1 with great showings from other boy swimmers.
   "Our boys team is full of good swimmers who work hard and compete well," said Joseph Cartledge who finished second at All-Timesland swim meet in two events. "We are very capable of competing against other great teams." 
   Head Coach Greg Lake always tries to put the swimmers in the best position to succeed at all times. This sometimes involves having swimmers swimming in events they do not feel comfortable with.
   "Coach, even though we may not agree sometimes, always puts us in the place where he thinks we can succeed," said Joseph Cartledge. "He puts us in events we don't even think we're capable of doing."